HisBride2b

Hi

I posted before from stopping Hydrocodones cold-turkey after 13 yrs of perscribed use from dr to treat severe chronic fatigue syndrome and FM which left me bedridden for 3 years. During this time I also was perscribed Xanax for RLS and Tramadol for days that the pain wasn't so bad and ritalin to treat the extreme chronic fatigue.

After 13 years I have discovered that the meds are making me feel worse then the actual diseases. I tested this out by stopping the hydrocodones. After day 13 I felt absolutely amazing and swore them off for life! I still feel that way.

However, I now feel SO MANY OTHER things from the other meds that the hydros use to mask.

I am currently tapering off of xanax VERY slowly. No hurry on that after severe w/d when I tried to stop it cold turkey right after before the hydros.

Next on my hit list was the ritalin. So here is where I am at....

Hydros - Day 18 FELT wonderful!

Xanax - 30 days on tapering - (Normal usage is 1 mg before bed... no other at any other time.) 10 days on .75 mg and 20 days on .50... I am not going any further until I stabilize from whatever is happening right now.

Ritalin - Stopped cold turkey on Monday, April 29th. By Thursday, I was nauseated, loss of appetite, debiliatating fatigue, and more.... I assumed it was ritalin withdrawal but not sure....Oh and starting on Tuesday, April 30th, my dr gave me adipex to start me on a diet and told me to take 1/2 tablet of a 37.5 dose. He was under the understanding that the ritalin was behind me. I took this for four days.

So Thursday while getting severely ill and not planning it or expecting it, I did research and saw that ritalin needs to be tapered and can be fatal if stopped suddenly. (Is this true?) So I took a dose Thursday at 4pm (10mg)

Friday I took the adipex dosage (1/2 tab of 37.5 mg) and my ritalin (10 mg 3-4x a day) . Along with the normal amounts of tramadol (100 mgs 4-5 times a day).

I can't explain the feeling and sensations I had throughout the day. It was one of the scariest things I have ever felt. I sent my grandbabies home and went to bed. I have no idea what was happening. Something I never felt before.
My thoughts were maybe the adipex with the ritalin.

So here I am today.... I want nothing to do with the adipex! Can't even believe the dr suggested it to me KNOWING that I am trying to wean off of the other meds. I had no clue what I was doing.

I continued with my normal ritalin and tramadol amounts and have no desire for hydros, thank God.

I want to get off ALL of these as fast and as safe as I can..... Can anyone help me understand any of this???? Is there anyone that I can contact for help?
Please do not suggest NA to me or to see my dr. I need advice for today.

Thanks!

Guilty401

Tramadol and other painkillers are not suppose to be taken in conjunction with amphetamines like ritalin, esp tramadol as it is a tricky synthetic opiod which can cause seizuring in high dosing and when combined with other drugs, be very careful with the tramadol if you are not planning a quick taper with it as one withdrawel symptom tramadol posseses oppose to any other opiate is seizuring

HisBride2b

Guilty401.... thanks for such a quick reply.... no one ever told me this before. I want off of ALL of it and I heard that tramadol is the worse detox. I don't know if that is true or not. That is why I aimed at the ritalin first. Is there somewhere that I can find out the best tapering program for me?

Guilty401

I recommend a suboxone program, as iam in one currently, it will treat ur pain and allow u to live ur life again without being in withdrawels and without being high, check and find a suboxone doctor bear you online

HisBride2b

Hi Guilty401... I just googled suboxone and honestly, it sounds as bad, if not worse, then hydrocodones!!! Am I missing something?

It's addictable, has the same side-effects as opiads, can be fatal if given incorrectly.

lovetosail

Hi there- Tramadol was much harder for me to get off of than hydocodone. I had a 20 year addiction to both. Tramadol also has anti-depressant properties which can really add to the withdrawals. It can also be dangerous to stop all at once because of the risk of seizures so you might want to involve your doc to get you on a taper program if you decide to go that route.
Congratulations on getting off the hydros. That's a major accomplishment!!

HisBride2b

Thank you lovetosail and I will heed your warnings Today being day 18 away from hydros and the first day after taking the adipex and ritalin together (for one day) I can't stay out of bathroom and my gut is gurgling awful! Do you know what could be going on? I did not take the adipex and never will again. I am doing my regular dose of ritalin and tramadol. Actually I have only been taking 1 tab of tramadol per dose as opposed to the regular 2 that I have been taking the past two weeks.

Let me add that I am getting very shakey and when I stand up too fast I feel very faint. I only took 1/2 of a 37.5 mg of adipex for 4 days. My big mistake was introducing the ritalin back in on my last day of the adipex due to unexpectantly entering ritalin withdrawal. I don't know!!!


Thanks!

likehappiness

Bride- honestly all the medications you were taking have to on a slow taper if you want to avoid withdrawal symptoms....especially ritalin. That actually takes weeks to withdrawal off of.

You probably did not have any symptoms from the hydrocodone because you are taking tramadol that still works with the opiate receptors just in a different way.

I would slow it down. If the adipex is making you sick then I would talk to your doctor about it. But you have to decide if it's that or your withdrawal symptoms.

HisBride2b

Hi likehappiness.

I did have w/d from the hydrocodones.... very sick in every way especially day 10. But the bowel issues I did not. For them to show up yesterday and today is puzzling.

I cut the tramadol doses in half today (50 mg 4x a day) of what I have been taking for the past 2 weeks (100 mg 4x a day). Before that i was at today's dose (50 mgs 4x's a day along with a 10/650 hydro) for a few years.

I know this is all confusing. I am calling my dr. monday and trying to get through the weekend. Have to work tomorrow though and am concerned with the issues I am having tonight.

BFD

Adipex kicked my arse. I went on that a few years ago for weight gain that would not go away no matter what I tried. I could not take a whole one, and even a half of one wigged me out so bad I could see noises, lol. I can only imagine how hard it hit you mixed in with ritalin!! You are lucky you didn't end up in the ER! Take care of yourself, speak with your doctor, and don't do anything rash. Any kind of major shock to your system could very well send you straight to the ER, as well. If your doctor won't listen to you, perhaps a new doctor is in order...

HisBride2b

Hi BFD,

Today appears to be my first "good" day. I am assuming that the adipex is pretty much out of my system now. And yes, I do believe I was lucky. (or blessed). I never felt anything like that before. Weightloss will have to be another battle another day. Right now my body needs me to be gentle and kind and PROTECTIVE!!!

cleaninLI

Hisbride2b I think it's wonderful that you want off this stuff. I do think that bfd is right though "perhaps a new dr is in order". You really need the expertise of a qualified physician to help you taper. Good luck and be very careful.

Lyoness

I second, or third, that maybe a new doctor is in order if all this one does is prescribe more medicines for you. Is he clear that you are wanting to taper off all of your medications?

You are on a real soup of prescriptions and quitting any one of them, especially cold turkey, could have surprising and dangerous side effects. Not only do they act individually but they are also acting in concert with each other which ups the risk of more severe side effects and withdrawal symptoms.

You really need a good medical practitioner who can work with you, will really listen to you and help you safely and slowly get off your meds. I know it can be frustrating, because we often want change NOW, but like you said above, you need to take extra special care of yourself and go easy.